It has never been more important to have responsible production management, in particular when stateside and international talent and creatives travel to Puerto Rico for filming and production.
In the long year since COVID-19 first appeared on the global radar virtually every industry in the world has been turned upside down. Some will not survive, others will be reborn anew as priorities and protocols shift.
Salvation in the form of vaccination and the altering of societal norms provide a glimmer of hope through this darkest of tunnels. We now, at very least, have a plan and strategy to mitigate risk.
Film production services companies were among the first to adopt a series oblique strategies, those individuals being on the “front line” in production as the relentless thirst for entertainment and content shows no signs of reduction, and in fact the opposite. New key positions and line items are symptomatic of the situation which is going nowhere for at least the mid-term.
So what does a Puerto Rico film production services company do to manage COVID-19?
Testing
Never in the history of film making has the human nasal cavity been given such rigorous defilement as in the age of COVID. A full PCR test, the norm for unionized productions is a requirement at least 72 hours before first appointment and every 72 hours thereafter. For a production containing 100-200 individuals this is no easy task! The management alone requires a department unto itself and substantial economic stimulus.
Zoning
The talent end of the spectrum are most at risk, since their involvement (certainly those in the narrative sphere) is typically without masks or facial protection. Depending upon the size of the production we create “zones” around the talent, with strict enforcement of interaction limited to key individuals such as director, cinematographer, HMUA etc.
Zoning management is made easier thanks to the use of wristbands indicating a crew members area of access.
Distance
Another key consideration to reducing infection vectors is social distancing. Gone (for now) are the days of buffet banquets and self-serve meals, instead all meals come pre-ordered and packaged by (fully tested) catering crew, and dining tables are minimized in terms of seating. Likewise on the production floor assets such as multiple monitors, used to reduce situations of gathered crew, and encouraged dining in personal vehicles provide additional assurances.
Cleanliness
We imagine that the stock price in hand sanitizer is somewhere near the moon right now, but personal hygiene is just one area of consideration. PPE equipment such as face and mouth shields reduce transmission of bacteria from a human source, and constant cleaning of high-touch surfaces, anti-bacterial fogging in vehicles and rooms, as well as sanitation stations with running water, soap and sanitizer are just a few of the methods used to proliferate cleanliness on the set.
Keep Calm
Despite our best efforts to the contrary, the reality remains that there will be occasions where COVID is detected. In this moment the preparations made by Health & Safety Compliance crew become highly valuable. As a new key position it is important for all crew, in particular HODs to be knowledgeable of their own response if and when the situation arises.
Conclusion
This is by no means an exhaustive list of our newly adopted working practices. For a full consultation on the risks and requirements for productions of any size we are available at your convenience. Film production continues to move forward, however, studios are wise to consider narrative projects with smaller ensemble casts, alternative shooting styles to reduce crew footprint and limited locations- in particular use of studio and set builds.
The nature of the job has not changed, there are simply more moving parts to coordinate.
If you have a film or video production coming up in Puerto Rico feel free to get in touch and let’s see how we can collaborate.